This invention relates to an oil condition checking system for a marine propulsion unit and more particularly to an improved system for determining the condition of lubricant in lubricated machinery.
It is well known that much machinery requires lubrication for its operation. Of course, it is necessary to determine that the quantity of the lubricant is adequate during all running periods and also that the lubricant quality does not deteriorate. With many types of equipment, it is difficult to provide such periodic checks of the quantity and quality of the lubricant.
For example, in the lower unit of a marine outboard drive, it is the conventional practice to provide a lubricant reservoir and to circulate the lubricant over the gear train and some of the components so as to insure smooth operation and long life. However, the only way that the quantity and quality of the lubricant can be tested is to periodically open a drain plug and check both the level and condition of the lubricant. The condition of the lubricant is tested normally by viewing the color of the lubricant. Of course, to determine the quality of the lubricant by its color requires certain expertise and experience. In addition, since the marine outboard drive is normally attached to the transom of a watercraft, this checking method frequently requires removal of the outboard drive unit from the watercraft so that the lubricant can be inspected. Obviously, this procedure is one that is easy to overlook due to the difficulties in making it.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved lubricant condition checking system for machinery.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for checking both the quantity and quality of lubricant in a marine outboard drive without requiring operator experience.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lubricant condition checking system for a marine propulsion unit wherein the condition of the lubricant can be monitored continuously.
In addition to requiring replacement of the lubricant when its condition becomes deteriorated or depleted, it is also desirable to insure that the machinery is not continuously operated once the lubricant quality deteriorates. It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for protecting the machinery in the event the quality of the lubricant is determined to have deteriorated.